A few years ago I wrote about our new endurance team called TeamXXXchurch.com. We have now raced in nearly 10 races. Our goal is to continue to grow this team by forming smaller teams across the country racing and running with purpose. Each year we will host a flagship event where our smaller teams from across the country can come together to race as one TeamXXXchurch. This year the flagship event is Ironman Coeur d’Alene. 8 athletes from the west coast and east coast will be swimming 2.4 miles, riding 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles to raise awareness and funds for XXXchurch.com.
Along the road to the race we have mutiple fundraiser campaigns set up to reach our goal of $100,000. Currently we are running 3-5 miles a day every day in the month of January. We would love your support and help in reaching our goals.
2012 TeamXXXchurch Fundraiser Focuses:
20,000 bibles
6 women out of the porn industry
3 international outreaches
250 families with x3watch pro accountability software
Launch a national parenting campaign
How Can You Help?
Support me in our January Campaign $1, $2, $3, or more a day ($30, $60, $90)
Run along side of me in January (It’s not to late!)
Convince your company to sponsor our endurance team
Post about our team on your facebook/twitter feeds
I thought this email was amazing - the steps were taken to free himself from porn and the support of the wife is spectacular. I hope this encourages you to take the next step in your journey to freedom!
This comes following a Porn & Pancakes event at Rolling Hills Christian Church.
Jake,
You might remember me, we have been attending Rolling Hills for about 2 1/2 years now. Last weekend at the porn and pancakes, my bible study men, my dad, and myself attended and i was especially moved. I had been dealing with the crippling drug of porn for years, i could not shake this problem no matter how hard i had tried i could not overcome it by myself.
Sitting there listening to the message Craig gave about things you should do if you want to fail, basically named everything i was trying to do. After the event my friends and i talked about how the software and the message moved them and how they wanted to join and be accountable as well. On my drive home and the day to follow, i knew what i needed to do. I felt like my life was being lived for God daily, but there was still guilt and shame that was riding on me. Being a new father, and married for 3 years, i knew this wasn’t how i wanted to represent Christ to my son or wife, nor anyone I come in contact with.
Monday morning came and I came before God and prayed that my confession to him and my wife would be in his hands. My wife blew me away with her response, she stated that she understood and that we would work on this together. She understood the impact porn has on men, and people in general, she appreciated the fact i could tell her about my problem. My wife and I had a great conversation that day and become closer as a couple, and closer to God.
People always talked about when they confessed the burden of their sins they could literally feel the weight lifted from them. This is exactly how i felt when i came and confessed, i no longer have a need or the urge to look at porn. I talked about this experience with my bible study, later that night i received text messages from a couple guys stating that they were motivated about how i approached the problem. They were going to come clean with their wives as well. They stated how it was humbling to hear from another man about an addiction that was tackled and not putting on a face thinking i don’t have any problems. I just wanted to say thank you for putting on this event. It has given me freedom from something that has ruined my life for to long, and God is taking my life back to live for him daily. Not only did this event help me, but it is now helping others who have seen me and want to change due to how God has changed and shaped my life.
Everyday I hear stories of someone’s pain and struggle. One of the benefits of my job! I just spoke to a man who shared with me the struggle of losing his house, his job, and moving in with his in-laws. This seems to be a regular story these days. No matter the situation it is absolutely critical to remember the unfailing, unconditional love of God.
I spoke in Ohio a month ago and they posted a segment of my message - if you are struggling I hope it helps.
For me it is crazy to think that my friend Mark Miller died one year ago.
This weekend I raced in Vineman 70.3 and as I overcame the grueling pain of it all as I thought about this time last year. I was racing last year with Mark’s name written under my wrist. I finished the race, turned on my phone, to hear the news that Mark had passed away late the night before. Not only had Mark passed but also his Mother just hours after him. It is (was) horrible.
Mark’s life mattered. He mattered to his kids, his friends, his family, and to his wife. As difficult as the last years of his life were he fought to leave a positive legacy. I will never forget his fight. He refused to give up even when it was time. He was in a battle with knowing the truth of his future and leaving those he loved behind. I think he won.
I am reminded of why I live when I think about Mark.
I am reminded of what is important.
I am reminded of growth in suffering.
I am reminded of friendships.
I am reminded that the things of this world pass away.
I am reminded that I must love my family in the present moments.
I am reminded that in the end Jesus will rescue me from the pain of this world.
I am reminded that we all will leave people behind and it is this I hate.
I was struck by the simplicity yet depth of Craig Groeschel’s comment on leadership today.
In the last 5 years, I feel like so many books about church growth seem to restrict and control the movement. We only do these 3 things and nothing else. If someone in the church has a deep conviction, a talent, or a following of people that want to head in ABC direction, but it was not birthed from a church boardroom full of paid church leaders, we kill the plan. Instead of equipping people to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead with their gifts and talents we squash their vision. It is almost like we are saying, “unless we dream it up and create it then it is not worthy of existing.”
Although leaders must keep those who are following them heading in the direction they believe God has revealed, we must also not kill people’s unique passions and convictions.
We have interpreted many books focusing on simple church models to restrict and control instead of to equip and release. The church is made up of individuals with specific gifts and talents given to them by God to be used. I remember it being said, “give a high capacity person a low capacity job and they won’t play at all.” This is not discounting a heart for service, but it is reflecting on the need to empower individuals to tasks, projects, and ministry focuses that fit who God designed them to be. So maybe the quickest way to take a step back in leadership influence and effectiveness is by controlling everything while encouraging people to use their gifts to grow the kingdom of God.
I think growing churches have learned to let go of the tight grip and following the Ephesians model of leadership.
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.’ [EPHESIANS 4:11-12]
If you are a leader, how tight is your grip? If you are a follower, are you prepared to lead?
I can’t help myself any longer but make a few brief comments. This Harold Camping ordeal is a stinking mess! Thousands of people sold their stuff, acted like freaks, and abandoned relationships because the “prophet” Harold Camping convinced them that the Bible teaches the end of the world is on May 21, 2011. As thousands of articles have already said, he was wrong. But he won’t admit it and take responsibility instead he continues to deceive people. Read these words from Harold Camping from late last month.
Despite being asked several times whether he would take responsibility for the incidents that transpired, Camping deflected every time, saying he was just a “humble Bible teacher” who was merely relaying the message found in the Bible.
“I don’t have any responsibility. I don’t have any responsibility of anybody’s life. I’m only teaching the Bible. I’m simply saying, ‘This is what the Bible says.’”
Camping also took no responsibility for those who gave up everything based on his predictions.
He says that he does not have to take any responsibility for the pain he helped inflict on thousands of people, not to count the millions of Christians who now have to overcome this craziness as they share Jesus with their friends. He calls himself a “humble Bible teacher” and yet shows no humility following his false predictions. I don’t think he owes those who followed him anything material, but an apology and some responsibility, absolutely!
I just think we all have to be careful when we teach the bible. Harold says “I’m only teaching the Bible” as an excuse to his false leading. Last I checked the Bible is truth. The bible doesn’t lead people astray but leads people to a loving, comforting, compassionate, all-knowing Dad.
As a Pastor i carry the heavy burden in teaching God’s truth rightly. I don’t pretend to be without fault or to know all the answers; that’s the way it is supposed to be. There is one who knows all the answers, one who never fails, one who is always right, and one who never has to apologize - his name is Jesus, not Harold.
The church is not about a pastor but about the person and life of Jesus Christ. Paul warns us not to be led astray by meaningless arguments and philosophy.
“Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ.” [COL. 2:8-9]
He continues to double-talk and argue - Admit you were wrong and let’s move on.
I was speaking at a memorial service this afternoon and I was reminded just how much I hate death. It is true that God is unimpressed with death, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. God hates death and so do I! I sat and listened as family members and friends shared stories about Dan. He was 58 years old and struggled with heart disease for many years. Last week Dan’s physical body could go no further and he passed from this life to the life to come. Although Dan is not concerned with death today it is on the forefront of the minds of his family and friends. They miss him. They long to be near him. They want to hear his voice. They want him here.
Death is the one thing that will bring a strong grown man to uncontrollable tears. One of the men at the memorial hinted that he might lose it while sharing and sought some affirmation. Is it okay to cry? I am strong, but I think in this moment I may be weak. Death breaks us down at the core. Why? We were never created to deal with death.
In John when Jesus goes to Lazarus home town and finds his sisters mourning we read about Jesus emotions (John 11:1-45). Jesus weeps. Why? Does he weep because he will never see his friend again?
The story reveals two future experiences Jesus will have with Lazarus. In Jesus’ interactions with Martha Jesus assures her that Lazarus will live again. Martha responds, ““Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” (John 11:24). Jesus will see Lazarus again when all children of God are reunited with him after death. Towards the end of the story the real miracle takes place and Jesus walks out of the tomb with his friend by his side. Lazarus is raised from the dead! Once again, why does Jesus weep? I believe Jesus wept because he hates death. He hates what sin has done to his creation. Sin has caused death to enter into God’s story resulting in anguish and pain for his children. God, just like a healthy earthly Father, is always moved by the pain of his children. He never wanted us to experience these feelings. He wanted to protect us. And it is this truth that brings Jesus to tears.
I didn’t know the man who I spoke about today in the memorial service, but I did fight back tears. Why? I hate death and so does God. However, I know there is hope. There is a resurrection to come for all those who have placed their trust in Jesus. His grace and His love overcomes Lazarus’ grave and his love will overcome your grave.
This is not the end - there is more to God’s story than the present world. If there is anything good about death it is this, physical death almost always proceeds resurrection. There is a world to come!
Jesus has overcome. I was sitting in church this morning when we sang this line from the Chris Tomlin song, “I Will Rise.” For some reason this truth really hit me. This week’s schedule was so incredibly full and included a few heavy conversations requiring deep prayer and wise counsel. The weight of the week caused me to walk into church a bit heavy, tired, and slightly weary. I was standing upstairs running through the details of our service when these 3 simple words confronted my heart, “Jesus has overcome.” In a one moment of time God put my life and my mind into proper perspective.
Jesus is my overcomer. The weight of the world does not control my life. The pressures of this world will not conquer my soul. The weight of this world must only remind me of my need for Jesus. I was not created to face the pressures of life alone nor do I have the capacity to overcome without Jesus.
Jesus has overcome and I can place my faith in Him.
With all this talk about the end of the world these last few days someone could easily mistake the peace and comfort of God is reserved for a time to come. However, the reality of Jesus is that he has brought his kingdom to earth. He is available today to bring us peace. He is offering himself to you now with a promise of a better future. In the future we will experience the fullness of His Kingdom, there is a better experience still to come, but we are not removed from the realities of Heaven on earth.
Jesus died, was buried, and then rose from the dead so that we could live resurrected here and now with hope in an even better future in his fully established Kingdom.
So today, Jesus has overcome. I can rest in this truth.
If you have ever thought you cannot do something, Christian Isakson has proved the impossible is possible.
Last week Christian attempted what seems to many as an insane, outrageous, and even impossible journey. He joined 4 athletes in an attempt to finish 5 consecutive Ironman Triathlons in 5 consecutive days on 5 separate Hawaiian islands. This event called EPIC5 was dreamt up by endurance athlete Jason Lester in 2010. How could anyone pull off such an incredible challenge? To our amazement he finished the 5 Ironman events pushing past all his previous limits. Christian was hallucinating so bad on the final marathon that he was literally ducking from what he thought were flying baseballs.
Some or most people would ask why anyone would want to push the limits to such extremes. Why would anyone want to go through such pain for sport? I wish I knew the answer! Many say that it is the unique desire to push one’s body to the ultimate extreme. For endurance athletes it seems they enjoy facing pain face to face and then beating it. Christian beat it alright. He went out day after day and put in amazing efforts finishing stronger on day 5 than day 1. So what pushed him to never give up?
He was driven by something bigger than himself, a cause, a passion beyond the personal satisfaction of joining an elite group of athletes. Christian ran for Jesus; to make Jesus heart known to the world. Throughout the journey he promoted XXXchurch and also his passion for helping Haiti. I think this is the beauty of the Kingdom of God. Everyone of us is invited to participate in the Kingdom of God through the joys of our lives. Christian loves endurance sports and so what better way to advance the K.O.G. than through something he loves?
How often do we think that to truly do something great for God means to ignore our hobbies and sacrifice all our desires? One of the beauty’s of Jesus is that he uses us through our gifts, talents, and interests to accomplish his purposes. How has God wired you? Put it to work for Him. What do you love? Use your passions for his Kingdom.
What seems to be impossible with man is possible with God!
I had lunch this week with a man who has spoken great truth into my life over the last 5 years. He is old. At one point I thought if you were old than you were wise, but I quickly learned that this is not always true. Many people have lived a long time blinded by their own sin and unable to control their selfish desires–not so with this man. One thing he said to me really stood out and I can’t help but think it is a life principle we all need to hear.
Lee worked for many years in a Christian Church Denomination where there were very black and white views on very grey areas of the Bible. There was no openness to discussion on a women’s role in the church, eternal security, or radical degrees of grace. In an effort to begin the conversation He would address the denomination board and shares his thoughts and arguments pertaining to these issues. Ultimately he was pushed out of the organization, spit on, and abandoned. Don’t you love the way the church deals with outsider ideas!
Over the next 30 years he would check their website to see if they would ever change any of those beliefs. Today, if you were to look at their core belief’s everyone of those issues he argued has now been adjusted to fit into the thinking he spoke of 30 years ago! I told him it must feel good to see that you have been vindicated. This is where he got me.
He said it is hard to be vindicated when you never had any rights in the first place. No rights? He went on. A follower of Jesus is called to be a servant. Servants have no rights of their own. They have completely given up themselves as a slave to their owner. When you are a slave there is no way you can be vindicated because you never had any rights of your own to start.
Wow. If only I could get this. If I don’t have any rights of my own then when someone betrays, disagrees, assaults, persecutes, hates, or lies about me I hold no bitterness, no rage, and no hate. My life is not my own. I do my best to serve the master and when people disagree or punish me as I do my best to live Jesus’ life…I move on.
What would happen if we laid down our rights with one another? If we adopted the very words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:7,
“Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?”
When we hold onto our rights we immediately adopt the mentality that says, “I deserve.” We think the world owes us something. What we deserve is separation from God forever because of our sin. It is by no work of our own that we have eternal life in Jesus Christ. No one can boast about being good because no one is good on their own. We are all a mess in need of a loving Savior. We are His slaves.
Adopt the servant’s mentality. We don’t need to be vindicated or proven right - we serve the one true God and our identity and value is found in Him alone.
